Oyo: Tribunal dismisses APM petition against Makinde’s election

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Oyo State on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by Allied Peoples’ Movement against Governor Seyi Makinde’s victory at the March 11 election.
Makinde won his second term election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
APM approached the tribunal and challenged Makinde’s victory. Other respondents in the matter are INEC and PDP.
APM’s counsel, Henry Bello, informed the tribunal that he has applied for a withdrawal of the petition against Makinde.
Bello said the party’s candidate, Adeniran Oluwaseyi, who was supposed to be the beneficiary of the petition, had lost confidence in the petition and had gone on to congratulate Makinde.
INEC counsel, Kizito Duru, said he was not opposed to the petition and would also not be asking for cost.
PDP counsel, Isiaka Olagunju, said he was not opposed to the petition’s withdrawal. He then urged the tribunal to award a cost of N2 million against the petitioner.
Makinde’s counsel, Kunle Kalejaye, in his remarks, said he also got the withdrawal application the day the matter was slated for hearing but he was not opposed to it.
He urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition and award a punitive cost of N10 million against the petitioner to serve as a deterrent to others.
The tribunal, in its unanimous ruling read by its Chairman, Justice Ejiron Emudainohwo, dismissed the APM’s petition.
The tribunal awarded N1 million each as cost in favour of Makinde and PDP against APM.
Emudainohwo described the petition as frivolous.
She added that it was scandalous for the petition to be filed 46 days after the party was aware their candidate was not interested in it.
She said cost must be awarded against the petitioner for wasting the time and resources of the respondents in filling their processes and for wasting the time of the tribunal.